Aerial tramway



W. L. NEWELL AERIAL TRAMWAY A ril 21-, 1931.

Filed Sept. 17, 1 92 INVENTOR ATTORNEY l atented Apr. 21 1931 PATENT OFFICE WALLACE L. NEWELL, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON AERIAL TBAMWAY Application filed September 17, 1928.

a This invention relates to aerial tramways and more especially to the cable-track sup ports thereof.

, In a tramway of this character it is customary to provide between the ends of a track cable a plurality of grooved track receiving supports, or saddles, which are usually mounted on towers.

The practice hitherto has been to secure such saddles against movement longitudinally of the track with the result that all endwise movement occurring to the cable produces considerable friction between the cable and the saddles which is particularly noticeable when the loaded carriers are adjacent to the respective saddles. Such a condition is injurious to the cable, reducing the life thereof and subjecting the same to excessive stresses besides requiring more power for propelling the carriers.

The object of the present invention is to provide means to overcome the above referred to and other objections by the use of cable supporting saddles which are arranged for limited movement with the cable to accommodate both the static stresses of the track cable itself and also stresses due to loads travelling upon the track cable.

The invention consists in the novel construction, adaptation and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing,-

Figure 1 is a view partly in end elevation and partly in transverse vertical section of aerial tram cable suspending devices embodying my improvements; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a perspective View of the hanger support shown in the preceding views. Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic side elevation of portions of an aerial tramway system to exemplify the purpose of the present invention.

In Fig. 4 the reference numerals 5 indicate towers which serve to support the track A cable 6 through the medium of saddle devices 7 for the respective towers and over which the cable is drawn in one or the other longitudinal direction responsive to the actions of the travelling loads and of the cable tensioning devices.

Serial No. 306,396.

Theaction of a travelling carrier to eflect movement of the track cable with respect to the towers 5 will be understood where 8 represents a carrier shown as in the interval A between the towers 5 and 5 producing thereat a maximum sag which is afforded by the cable drawn mainly from the intervals B and C at opposite sides of the referred to towers. When the carrier travels beyond the tower 5 into the dotted line position 8 the cable in the interval C is caused to be drawn by weight of the carrier downwardly to occupy a position,'such as indicated by dotted line 6 and which sagging of the cable is accommodated by the same being dragged over the adjacent towers from the adjacent intervals or, as in the illustrated example Fig. 4, from the interval A on the one side and from the elevation of the counter weight 9 or cable tensioning means at the other side. Such movement of the cable is accommodated to a large, extent by adapting the saddle for the cable for movement to a limited extent with the latter.

According to my invention, and referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the track cable 6 is seated within a groove 10 (Fig. 2) of the saddle 7 which is provided at its midlength with bore 11 for a stud 12 extending laterally from the lower portion of the arm 13 of a hanger member 14.

As shown, said stud is provided with a peripheral groove 15 to receive a plate attachment 16. which serves to retain the saddle upon the stud and against a shoulder 17 of said hanger arm.

The arm 13 depends from an end of the horizontally arranged body portion 18 of the hanger, said body having near its ends upwardly extending apertured lugs 19 and 20 which are disposed to be at equal distances, or nearly so, from a vertical plane of the cable axis. As shown, the said lugs are provided with slots 21 to receive therein apertured bar elements 22 of a hollow frame 23 (Fig. 3) and to which the hanger is connected by means of pivot bolts 24 for oscillatory movement longitudinally of the tramway.

v Said frame is adapted to be rigidly secured to a cross-arm of a tower or other support,

which preferably consists of two parallel spaced girder members 25, against the upper and inner surfaces 26 and 27 of which are fitted flange elements 28 and 29 respectively of the frame. The frame is secured to said girder members by means of rivets, or bolts, extending through holes provided therefor in the respective flanges.

From the foregoing description it will be seen, that by swivelling the saddle 7 to the lower end of the hanger 14 and pivotally connecting the latter at its upper end to the supporting frame 23, that two movements in the plane of the cable are permitted the saddlethat is to say, a rocking movement on the stud 12 to accommodate flexing and straightening of the cable responsive to the travel of the load, and also swinging the saddle bodily in the pendulum like action of the hanger responsive to frictional engagement with the cable when the latter is drawn in one direction or the other.

By thus providing means permitting endwise movement to the saddle with the cable, much of the frictional wear of the cable is obviated.

The preferred construction and the operation of the invention will, it is thought, be understood from the foregoing.

What I claim, is,

1. Supporting means for the track cable of an aerial tramway, said means comprising a pair of longitudinally spaced apart girders arranged to support a. frame member having a. pair of transversely spaced beams, a hanger mounted for longitudinal pivotal movement on said beams and having an arm depending therefrom, a horizontal transversely disposed stud carried by said arm, and a cable receiving saddle bar pi"'otally mounted upon said stud in a manner to dispose said bar in a vertical plane substantially midway of the hanger supporting beams.

2. In apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein said girders are adapted to limit the pivotal movement of said hanger.

3. Supporting means for the track cable of an aerial tramway, said means including horizontal transversely spaced apart beams and a hanger pivotally carried by said beams, said hanger providing a depending arm arranged to support a cable receiving saddle bar in a manner to dispose said bar in alignment with a vertical longitudinal plane taken sub stantially midway of the hanger supporting beams.

4. Supporting means for the track cable of an aerial tramway, said means including a hanger, means to pivotally support said hanger, and means provided by said hanger for engaging a cable receiving saddle bar, said hanger supporting means providing stops for limiting the pivotal movement of said hanger.

5. A support for the track-cable of an aerial tramway, comprising a saddle to receive the cable, a hanger pivotally connected to said saddle, a hanger supporting frame, and means connecting said hanger to the frame for permitting relative movement longitudinally of the cable only.

6. A suspended support for the track-cable of an aerial tramway, comprising a saddle to receive the cable, a hanger connected to said saddle, a hanger supporting frame, and means connecting said hanger to the frame for permitting relative movement longitudinally of the cable only.

7. A support for a track cable of an aerial tramway, comprising a saddle to receive the cable, said saddle being arranged for movement longitudii'ially of the cable only, and means supporting said saddle and permitting oscillatory movement thereof.

8. In an aerial tramway, a track cable receiving saddle, and a support therefor arranged for movement longitudinally only.

Signed at Seattle, lVashington, this 6th day of September, 1928.

W'ALLACE L. NEWVELL. 

